House Bill 280 - Campus Carry

House Bill 280, commonly known as the “campus carry” legislation, is effective as of July 1, 2017. Listed below are links to the new law (which amends O.C.G.A. 16-11-127.1); guidelines developed by the University System of Georgia Office of Legal Affairs on how all University System of Georgia campuses are to implement the law; and additional information from the University System of Georgia, which includes answers to frequently asked questions.

To view the University System of Georgia's website dedicated to House Bill 280, visit usg.edu/hb280.

Georgia House Bill 280

To view the full text of the bill signed into law on May 4, 2017, click here.

University System of Georgia Guidance

To view guidance distributed May 24, 2017 to the University System of Georgia community on implementation of House Bill 280, click here.

House Bill 280 states that carrying is not permitted in a class that contains high school students (Move On When Ready, Early College, etc.). A section pertaining to this exception taken from the University System of Georgia's guidance is listed below:

Rooms and other spaces during the times when they are being used for classes in which high school students are enrolled, whether through dual enrollment and programs such as Move On When Ready or through college and career academies or other specialized programs such as Early College. License-holders who want to carry handguns to class will need to visit the institution’s Registrar's Office, who after verifying their enrollment status will tell them which of their classes, if any, have high school students enrolled. Institutions shall not, however, keep any listing of those who inquire. (Note also that the names of enrolled high school students may not be revealed in accordance with applicable privacy laws.) It is the responsibility of license-holders to seek out this information and make themselves aware of which classrooms fall within this exception.

Additional Information

On June 1 2017 the University System of Georgia Legal Affairs Office provided additional information in response to common topics of inquiries that members of all state colleges and universities have posed. Click here to view this additional information (This page will be updated as more common themes of questions emerge).

Questions

If you have additional questions, please contact the GSW Public Safety Department by phone (229) 931-2245 or by email public.safety@gsw.edu.